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Ripple Dot Zero
Ripple Dot Zero is an adventure platform game released by Pixeltruss. It was featured on Pixel Love on August 5, 2013. The player takes control of a penguin who sets out on a mission to rescue ripples from the laboratory. Default controls Controls can be customized via the "Controls" option on the game's main menu. * Up and down arrow keys - Scroll up/down within a level * Left and right arrow keys - Move * X key - Jump * Z key - Attack *'M key' - Mute music and sound *'Esc key' - Return to the main menu Levels Ripple Dot Zero has twelve levels, excluding hidden levels. Each level is given a name which is often referring to the location which the level takes place in. Except for the first level and last two levels of the game, all levels have unlockable bonus stages that can be played if the player collects enough capsules to fill the bonus metre. Almost all levels have hidden areas, or "secrets", contained within them. The player is alerted whenever a secret is found, or entered into. These areas are often locations out of reach or concealed by use of a wall. Finding secrets does not have a direct effect on gameplay, aside from this information displaying on the statistics page after the player completes a level. ...Like You Just Woke Up This level serves as the tutorial area, as well as the exposition for the game's minimal plot. The penguin is freed from its cage and is then given the player's control to move it around. Introductory credits appear on the screen as the player navigates the penguin through the set passageway. Some capsules and hearts are found in empty or broken cages on the other side of the penguin's set path. Players can choose to pick these up if they are aiming for full item completion or a higher score by making a far enough jump to land on top of these cages before moving on. The introductory level also introduces recurring enemies seen throughout most levels: crab crawlers. The first crab crawler is encountered inside the laboratory; the other wanders back and forth near the goal. To complete the level, players are instructed to land the penguin on top of the active particle field. Ripple Laboratories Area 1 In this level, players are introduced to two weapons found throughout various levels of the game. One is a boomerang, which can be be found at the top of a set of rock blocks if players guide their penguin as far to the right and at the top of the level as they can. The second is found near two moving springs, and can be accessed by breaking glass. It increases the horizontal range of the penguin's sword slash. This level is mostly based on platforms that are fixed in the air. Crab crawlers appear on many of these platforms. The general path for this level is to move to the right, and as upwards as possible. The particle field is found isolated on the sand-like ground. Ripple Laboratories Area 2 Alongside crab crawlers, planes also appear as enemies in this level. Most planes can be found flying across the topmost parts of some areas. This level also introduces the invincibility powerup, which allows the penguin to destroy enemies by touching them. A jetpack can be obtained for the first time, allowing the penguin to fly for a brief period of time. To complete the level, players must fight the first boss introduced to the game: the leaping robot. Afterwards, the game will allow the penguin to continue moving to the right and jump onto the particle field a short distance from the boss battle. Crater Lake Area 1 This area has a change in background from the previous stages the player has gone through. The scenery shows a bright blue sky with water in the distance and some sandy mountains. Most of the ground in this area is made up of sand. Crying starfish and a variation of the crab crawlers are introduced to this level. Most of the crying starfish are found on the walls of tall floating platforms near the beginning of this level. The new crab crawlers pace back and forth along the top of platforms or the ground, however, they fly when the penguin is near them. Another enemy introduced to this area is the balloon crab, which flies around the topmost areas of the game. The jetpack can be found next to the first bomb throwing creature encountered in the game. This is also the same area where a sword pickup can be found. Crater Lake Area 2 The second area of Crater Lake introduces spike and lava hazards. Spikes appear on the ground and ceiling of certain areas within the level. Some may only be indicated by a sign, and appear if Ripple Dot Zero is close to that area. Lava is found under springs and some destructible platforms. Enemies in this level include bomb throwing creatures, crab crawlers, balloon crabs and machine bugs. Unlike the previous levels, this area finishes when Ripple Dot Zero steps under a tall tube to the far right that sends him upwards to the next level. Oxygen Plants Area 1 The background of this area is bright blue, with clouds and spherical structures visible in the distance. This is the first area the player encounters where it is possible to die by falling a certain distance. Multiple platforms are fixed in the air, with gaps leading to areas where the penguin may fall completely off screen and lose a life. Among the thin platforms are glass chambers. Some have tubular openings that the penguin can slip into from the top or bottom. Others have part of their glass smashed, creating an opening that the penguin can go into. This level also has many thick tubes that the penguin can go inside. These tubes have arrows that push the penguin in a certain direction. If the penguin enters from the opposite end of the tube, it pushes him back out. If the penguin goes in the correct end of the tube, he should automatically be taken through the direction the tube extends if the player moves the penguin in far enough. Two enemies are encountered: baseball bots and turrets. Baseball bots are predominantly found near the start of the level and among the thinner platforms. Finishing this level requires the player to go through a tube, found in the middle of an area that splits into three passageways. If the penguin continues to move in the right direction after exiting the pipe, he can jump up a ledge, where the particle field can be seen. Oxygen Plants Area 2 Unlike Oxygen Plants Area 1, Oxygen Plants Area 2 has many larger glass compartments that can be passed through by pipes, springs or accelerator arrows. Losing a life by falling off the edge is mostly not possible in this level, except for some secret areas. Most of the enemies in this level are baseball bots and crab crawlers. Baseball bots are typically situated in the open areas of the level, while crab crawlers are usually in glass chambers. Some turrets can also be encountered. Enemies unique to this level are zebra raptors, which can be found along the ground in some of the same areas crab crawlers occupy. Instead of a particle field, the player finishes this level by falling through a long, green tube. Terrarium Area 1 This is the first of the two main levels that takes place in a plant-type area. Most of the platforms are tree branches, with hollowed out trunks that Ripple Dot Zero can fit into. Two enemies are encountered here: a variation of crab crawlers and robotic creatures that hide in short columns on non-tree trunk platforms. Metal doors also make their only appearance in this level, with the risk of crushing the penguin if he is underneath them at the time of their closing. The sword powerup and boomerang can be found early in the level, the latter being in a secret area. One invincibility powerup is located at the top of a tree trunk with long branches extending from it. Several flying crabs can be encountered in this area. The last part of this appears to take place in a building-like area. Many rock blocks are found on the top part of the structure, while hiding robots and metal doors are encountered within. If the player continues to the right, the penguin will eventually reach the particle field, with a heart pickup encountered just before it. Terrarium Area 2 The level starts by introducing a group of enemies exclusive to this stage - "mine robots", moving in a clockwise direction around a few platforms with pills and a heart pickup. Jumping onto the tree branch above the platforms, the penguin can continue right, through a tree trunk and onto another group of platforms, with mine robots moving to counter clockwise around the platforms, outlining a rectangle shape. At the top of the tree trunk (accessed by bouncing up a spring on the ground to the left), the player will encounter more flying crabs from Terrarium Area 1. If the player continues moving the penguin to the right, the path splits into upper and lower regions. The upper region has fan enemies, also exclusive to the Terrarium Area 2. The bottom region has mine robots that only move on the vertical plane, but at a faster rate than the ones encountered earlier. The two areas converge to a place with multiple arrows, springs and many flying crab creatures above. An invincibility powerup and full hearts pickup can be found by springing up along the leftmost side of the space. The penguin can then move along the arrows, then spring up near the bottom right. A jetpack should be visible on one of the platforms near the top right. Upon collecting the jetpack, the penguin can move all the way to the left and up platforms until the player sees a tree trunk. From there, the penguin can run all the way right, where he can pass a checkpoint and a hole in a tree trunk leading to the next area. This section has multiple glass chambers with a tint of green in them. Pills are contained in most of them, with some hearts. Most of these glass covered containers can be accessed from the side, while some need to be broken through with the G-Blade or have crumbling platforms that allow the penguin to access their contents from the top. The penguin can move down to the ground and proceed to the player's right after breaking the rock blocks. A succession of platforms, each a bit higher than the one before, are encountered here. Each platform has a crab crawler, and the topmost one also has a fan. To the right of this area is a checkpoint. A couple of springs past the checkpoint, the player will pass a series of platforms and valleys with crab crawlers walking along the ground. There are a number of pickups that the player can collect as they make their way up and to the right, which should lead them to the particle field. Alternatively, in the last pit with an array of pills over three springs that are flat on the ground, the penguin can make his way to the right instead of going up. He will be able to travel through the wall and through a secret passageway, which leads to the Terrarium's Hidden Area. One Last Thing... The level's setting looks similar to that of Crater Lake Area 1's. Before going right, the penguin should run left to pick up two extra hearts. The player can then proceed in the other direction, which only requires moving the penguin to the right without jumping. Along the path, a single heart pickup can also be collected. After running for a while, the player should eventually encounter two platforms fixed in the air. To the right of them, a metal eye will be seen poking out of the ground. Approaching it will cause the creature hiding underneath to emerge. This creature appears to be a brain, and is the final boss in the game. Once the boss has been defeated, it will leave the area, and the penguin can continue all the way to the right until he reaches the particle field. The Shuttle/Launch Pad This is the final level of the game that must be played to view the ending. Throughout it, the penguin has to jump on platforms and springs to catch up with the brain. The brain fires a series of bullets in the penguin's direction when he catches up to it. After each wave of bullets, the player is supposed to attack the brain by slashing at it when it is vulnerable. In the middle of the level, electricity is beamed in between several platforms. The player needs to time the penguin's movements correctly as to not run into the electricity when it is active. Above and below them are crumbling platforms, which are reduced to a single small square when they disappear. The penguin should move quickly when jumping on crumbling platforms, or the player will have to jump with more accuracy if he falls. At the end of the stage, next to the Shuttle's entrance, the brain will attack the penguin one last time. As soon as the player lands the final blow, the brain will explode and descend, out of the screen's view. The penguin can then continue all the way to the right, which will load the game's end sequence. Ending Enemies *'Crab crawlers' have a shell, and pace back and forth on the platform they are located on. *'Planes' slowly fly across an area, shooting a single bullet when the penguin is within shooting range. *'Crying starfish' let a black droplet fall from their eye when Ripple Dot Zero is near them. *'Machinebugs' remain grounded and fire a set of horizontal bullets when the penguin is in view. *'Baseball bots' move horizontally in the air and often move towards the penguin if he is at the same elevation as the path they are traveling. Bosses Interactive objects Hazards Glitches *When Terrarium .02 on Nitrome.com was selected on the world map, an error message would appear on the loading screen. The bug is caused by the addition of an Easter egg to Terrarium Area 2http://www.rippledotzero.com/changelog.txt, 3 November 2013. Retrieved 14 Jan 2014. and is not present in any updated version of the game. This was later fixed upon the launch of Pixellovegames.com. *If the player obtains the Gyro Blade in the Hydroplant and dies afterwards, they are sent back to the start of the stage. If they get the Gyro Blade after being respawned, the penguin will continue to use his sword attack while the Blade sprite shows. Pressing the keys to switch weapons may cause the boomerang to completely disappear from the penguin. *Entering the leaping robot battle with the invincibility powerup and permanent jet suit toggled may cause the penguin to retain the invincibility powerup permanently for the rest of that stage. This glitch is indicated by the change to the boss music while the invincibility powerup music is playing, as opposed to the two tracks playing overtop each other, indicating that the glitch would not occur. **If the player tries to reenter the area after having permanent invincibility, the penguin's default sprite is shown wearing the invincible suit, but without its effects. Obtaining the invincibility powerup in this state will change the penguin back to its normal sprite. *Entering a level on the map screen can lead to an error screen showing up and the level not loading, in some instances. This seems to occur when the Pixeltruss and Ripple Dot Zero websites are inaccessible for the user. Soundtrack Development Ripple dot zero - development footage|Development footage Ripple development timelapse|Development timelapse Ripple Dot Zero Launch Trailer|Launch trailer Merchandise Ripple Dot Zero's titlescreen includes a link to the Pixeltruss shop, which allows external game merchandise to be purchased online. The shop is divided into two categories: one for the game's soundtrack on cdbaby.com, and another for additional merchandise on Redbubble.com. Although not displayed on the Pixeltruss shop website, the game's soundtrack can also be purchased on iTunes or Amazon. Merchandise on Redbubble.com features prints of the penguin, as well as the Pixeltruss and Ripple Dot Zero logos. These can come on a variety of different items, such as posters, cards, clothing and stickers. References External links *Ripple Dot Zero feature on Pixel Love *Official Pixeltruss shop with Ripple Dot Zero merchandise *Ripple Dot Zero category on the Pixeltruss blog Category:Games Category:Platform games Category:Adventure games